Returning to his collection room, Akurduana gently closed the heavy metal door, shutting out all the noise outside.
He stood in the middle of the room and looked around at the walls, covered with trophies he had claimed in battle.
His gaze drifted slowly over them before settling on the Laer Blade in his hand, which he had just received from Fulgrim.
Under the room's soft lighting, the blade shone with a mellow, silvery-white luster, and the gems on its guard glimmered faintly.
He slowly raised the sword, studied it for a moment, then carefully hung it in a space on the wall he had deliberately left empty.
He took two steps back, watched the sword glow faintly on the wall, and nodded in satisfaction.
Then he turned and walked toward the weapon rack on the other side of the room.
He stopped before the rack, surveyed the neatly arranged weapons, and finally reached out to take down two training swords.
They were standard-length, Legion-issue training swords, their blades unsharpened but their weight and feel comparable to live weapons. Countless practice bouts had left their surfaces covered in scratches and dents.
He hefted the two swords, feeling their familiar weight and balance, then turned and left the collection room.
Two figures were already waiting in the Gladiatorial Arena.
Lucius stood on the left side of the Gladiatorial Arena, wearing a lightweight training outfit without armor, revealing his lean, muscular physique.
His arms were folded across his chest and one leg was slightly bent. His stance was relaxed and casual, but his eyes gleamed with an edge as sharp as a blade.
Chelast stood on the right side of the Gladiatorial Arena, a few steps away from Lucius.
He was also dressed in training clothes, but his bearing was steadier and